Daydreaming wakes up for Top Flight
Ogden Mills Phipps’ DAYDREAMING (A. P. Indy) stalked a
contested pace and then rallied four-wide turning for home to a
clear lead before holding on by a nose over the fast-closing
Bending Strings (American Chance) in Friday’s $150,000 Top Flight
H. (G2) at Aqueduct.
The sophomore stalked fractions of :23 4/5, :46 4/5, and 1:11
before stopping the teletimer in 1:35 1/5 for the one-mile
distance. Bending Strings dug in and made the finish a close one,
just missing at the line. Roar Emotion (Roar), who rallied
briefly to the lead entering the stretch, held on for third, 2 1/4
lengths behind the runner-up.
“Bending Strings was way out in the middle of the track,”
said winning rider Jerry Bailey. “I could see her, but my
filly couldn’t see her. The last two jumps, she saw (Bending
Strings) and you could feel her surge again.”
The even-money, post-time favorite returned $4.10, $2.60, and
$2.20 while topping an $11.60 exacta. Bending Strings, sent off
at 3-1, rewarded her backers with $3.10 and $2.40, while Roar
Emotion was worth $2.50 at 7-2, and completed a $25.40 trifecta.
Pop Princess (Alphabet Soup) came next, followed by Tempus
Fugit (Alphabet Soup) and Caught in the Rain (Petionville).
Distinctive Kitten (Distinctive Pro) was scratched.
Daydreaming recorded her second graded victory after
previously winning the Indiana Breeders’ Cup Oaks (G3) in her
last start. The Shug McGaughey trainee improved her mark to 11-6-1-2
and has now earned $562,180.
Out of Grade 3 winner Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector), Daydreaming
is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Accelerator (A.P. Indy) and
has a yearling half-sister by Monarchos. Get Lucky is out of
Grade 1 winner Dance Number (Northern Dancer), making her a full
sister to champion Rhythm.
McGaughey said Daydreaming is headed to Florida for the winter.